Two Of A Kind
by Machlassie
Summary: She would always stop by unannounced; no prior warning given to the man whose bar she frequented. And he, no matter how inconvenient the timing may be, never turned her away. It was no stretch to say they lived opposite lives, but it was those very lives that piqued an interest in the other. And it was perhaps the reason why she kept coming back to his bar, to his home, and to him.
1. ICE CREAM

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

 **This fic is intended to be a compilation of oneshots containing (but not limited to) Izumo and Seri romance. Some oneshots will be rated K, others might be leaning more towards the MATURE area. (This story is probably as graphic as I get.) I hope this doesn't deter anyone from reading, but I have a pet peeve in which writers use Japanese terms/words in their fics. So although I know Kusanagi refers to Seri as "Seri-chan" I wanted to avoid using any Japanese terminology so instead I'm going to have him call her "Sweet Seri" instead.**

 **I Don't Own Project K.**

#1 ICE CREAM

It was nearing 1 AM and the normally bustling town located in the Tokyo Metropolis was beginning its late descent into sleep. Business owners turned away their customers as they prepared to lock up for the night while the sore and weary headed home to restore their lost energy needed for the weekend. The city lights had dimmed and even the night owls were calling it quits. But while the city was preparing for slumber, inside a small luxury apartment – an inheritance from a late uncle – the night was just beginning for a young couple.

With all the curtains and blinds shut, the apartment was dark save for the relentless streaks of moonlight that peeked through, revealing the immaculate living room. Not a pillow throw was out of place on the leather sectionals and even the ashtray that sat upon the coffee table appeared impeccable despite the frequent use it received. The refrigerator – black, to match the surrounding furniture – sat in the kitchen, its door barren of any magnets, photos, and art one would normally decorate the appliance with.

On an average night, the appliance's hum was the only noise to be heard, its electronic buzz hardly noticeable even in the deathly silence. But tonight another set of sounds dominated the apartment; noises that, should the couple discover their neighbors had overheard, would leave one of them blushing madly. Fortunately, the walls were thick, and not a rustle, thump, pant, or groan was heard outside of the man's bedroom.

The man was aware of this, and each time they participated in these late night rendezvous, he would always remind his partner that she didn't have to hold back those sweet moans that had become music to his ears. Whether she was too prideful or simply shy, she very rarely got loud; instead letting out whimpers all throughout the night, not that the man minded. What man in their right mind wouldn't want to have a whimpering Seri Awashima beneath them?

With his right hand joined with her left, he felt her grip tighten, a sign that she was reaching her limit. Peeling his lips away from her throat, he returned his gaze back to her face where he caught her biting down on her bottom lip in an effort to hold back the pleasure-filled moan that was soon to come out. "Geez," he chuckled lightly, leaning down towards her, "You're a stubborn one, aren't you, Sweet Seri?"

Their lips met just seconds before she climaxed, her body shuddering in Izumo's grip as he deepened their kiss. Eventually, her lips were no longer reciprocating as her exhaustion took over, her body becoming limp as she collapsed back onto the pillow. Removing himself from her, Izumo rolled off her and took his respective spot beside her, admiring the blonde as she lie half-awake.

Her body turned to face him and almost shamefully, she closed the distance between them as she snuggled into his chest. "It's cold," she claimed as she hid her face from him. Since the arrival of November, the days had become rather chilly but for the likes of Izumo and Mikoto, the cold was never a problem when all it took was a snap of a finger and their bodies were emanating heat. It was because of this reason that he removed the blankets when Seri came around. With the heat from their passion and his own powers flaring up as he got caught up in his lust, the warmth from the blankets became unneeded. Of course when their desires were quelled, the cold would hit hard.

"I would have thought the Heartless Woman would be accustomed to the cold," he teased as he ran his hand along the small of her back. The title would have normally earned him a gentle smack or some other form of reprimand, but at the moment casting a glare seemed too tiring even for the always diligent Lieutenant Awashima.

Chuckling, Kusanagi reluctantly pulled away from her to get to his feet. "I'll be back," he whispered when he spotted Seri's tired eyes look up at him confusedly. He retreated to his closet, equipped with suits, button-ups, and tees tailored to his slim, athletic build. Seri's own collection of clothing was starting alongside his which, to another bachelor would set off alarms, didn't seem to bother Izumo in the slightest. Mikoto, probably the only other soul who knew of these trysts, would often mock him; sporting the incredulous idea that he would become a whipped puppy once Seri moved in.

After slipping on a pair of sweats and retrieving a black throw blanket along with a pair of her panties from the closet, the bartender made his way back to the beauty who had drifted off into sleep in the few minutes it took for him to find his items. It was no surprise to him that her exhaustion would finally catch up to her. After a day of bustling to and fro around the city, who wouldn't be? He shrugged as he let the panties drop to the floor. _No need to wake her now,_ he thought as he gently laid the blanket over her body.

 _Two Hours Later…_

Shortly after she had fallen asleep, Izumo had followed suit. As usual he fell asleep with her wrapped in his arms, but sometime during the night she had shifted so that her back was facing him, his hands, which were originally lazily resting on her back, now fondling her breasts out of pure instinct. His hands were skillful in the area, but it definitely made sleeping harder for the lieutenant as she found herself waking up only a few hours after having drifted off. Pouting, she took a look at the clock sitting on his nightstand and saw that the red lights reflected the numbers 3:12.

She shut her eyes and hoped her weariness was enough to drag her back to sleep. But when she had Izumo's fingers pinching her nipples, she found herself feeling wide awake. "Stop that…" She whispered as she fought to peel his hands from her body, a light blush finding its way to her cheeks as she struggled. He was strong, even when out cold, and after fighting him for a few more seconds Seri ultimately admitted defeat; slipping out of bed altogether and leaving him to embrace the blanket she had been wrapped in.

The cold air bit at her skin and she wondered if Izumo ever turned on his heater. Rubbing her arms in an attempt to fight off the heat, Seri began walking around the darkened room as her bright blue eyes searched the floor for their discarded clothing. Her foot brushed against a soft fabric near the foot of the bed and upon closer inspection, she saw that it was his white button-up, the red ascot lying only a few inches from it. She slipped it on before making her way into the living room where she decided to go in search of water.

After downing one glass, she realized that the bland taste didn't satisfy her taste buds. Frowning, she pulled open the refrigerator to see if he had any special juices lying in wait. With the refrigerator light illuminating the entire room, the blonde let her eyes skim each shelf; milk, a case of beer, smoothies, and juices sat upon the top whilst bread, vegetables, egg, and other ingredients occupied the shelves beneath. Her eyes sank to the freezer below and immediately she caught sight of the tub of ice cream sitting beside some bags of frozen fruit.

Even when goosebumps decorated her skin, it seemed the cold didn't seem to deter Awashima from getting her share of the frozen dessert. It wasn't her beloved bean paste, but it was a close second. "Now where does he keep his bowls…?" She said to herself as she went about opening the cabinets above her. He was a well-organized man, a trait she found oddly attractive, so it didn't take long to come upon his stash of fine China and porcelain.

Just as she was preparing to make a grab for the white bowl within her reach, another hand, that appeared to have come from over her shoulder, beat her to it. Startled at first, Seri paused, watching as the bowl was set before her and a gentle chuckle reached her ears. "I wouldn't mind waking up to this sight every day, Sweet Seri," the husky voice of HOMRA's bartender said. Gentle hands went to her angular waist while his nose went to nuzzling her neck.

"You only have vanilla," Seri deadpanned, frowning at his choice of ice cream. Her abrupt statement made the man pause as he found himself at a loss for words. Here they were, barely clothed in his kitchen with a whole night ahead of them, and while he was fondling her, all she could think about was her red bean paste. He listened to her sigh and watched as she began scooping the dessert out into her bowl regardless. "But I guess this will do." She said as she continued to fill her bowl with perhaps twice the recommended serving.

Despite her rather distant attitude, Izumo couldn't help but pass the lady a smile before reaching to grab her hands with his own and landing a few kisses to her neck. He couldn't gauge much of a reaction from the Heartless Woman so he briefly stopped his ministrations to admire her. As his hands rested atop hers, he noted that her skin was cold to the touch, and no doubt, her preferred snack wasn't helping.

Taking a step back from her, he headed in the direction of his sofa where he settled. "When you're done treating yourself there," he told her, "come join me over here, won't you?"

Seri, though missing the warmth of the man who had only seconds ago peppered her with kisses, didn't want to appear too desperate for his touch, so remained in the kitchen waiting for the right time to accept his invitation. Perhaps it was a part of her pride to represent Scepter 4 that she often found herself unwilling to submit so easily to him, a Red. Izumo, however, had no qualms about being the one who unashamedly initiated the snuggling, cuddling, kissing, and love making.

While licking her lips clean of the latest spoonful of ice cream she had, with her bowl of ice cream still in hand, she began to approach the bartender who was patiently awaiting her; bare-chested and clothed only in a pair of grey sweats. His hazel eyes never left her as she stood before him, and she wondered what dirty thoughts he had churning in his head when she was clad only in his shirt.

He began to pat his thigh, signaling for her to take a seat on his lap. She faltered at first, but eventually settled herself down atop him, her long legs dangling off one side of his body and her ice cream settle on her lap. Once she was snug, one of Izumo's arms immediately went around her shoulders while the other went to wrap around her torso. As if she had had just stepped over the vent of an active heater, Seri felt a sudden change in temperature and the nighttime chill vanished. "Thought I could warm you up a little," the blonde bartender whispered teasingly into her ear, "melt that icy heart of yours."

"A blanket would have sufficed," she responded, a small smile gracing her features as she gazed up at him. The retort rewarded her with a chuckle as he tightened his grip around her, enjoying the woman's soft body underneath his fingertips. Seri, on the other hand, was so caught up in his gentle caresses that she was beginning to drift off; the only thoughts filling her mind being those of the man who held her. Perhaps it was due to her drowsiness, but she let herself imagine a life outside of Scepter 4 in a world where there were no Kings or their clans. Would she have come upon this bartender if that had been the situation?

Before she could delve into any answers and probabilities, she was startled out of her reverie by Izumo's charming voice. "Don't I get any of that?" The ice cream completely forgotten by the lieutenant, she had to follow his gaze downwards to see what he meant.

A milky pool of white greeted her. Once cold, round mounds, due to the heat from Izumo's red aura, only a single scoop could still be labeled as ice cream. The flavor still remained despite the state of matter it was in and Seri, grateful that he had reminded her, intended to finish it to satisfy her craving. Sitting upright in his lap, she picked up the spoon and said, "You can have whatever's left."

As she resumed eating, Izumo watched her, marveling at how much junk she ate without gaining a single pound. Of course when her job kept her on her feet and HOMRA's boys constantly leading her on a chase through the city, she definitely got her daily exercise. And whatever wasn't worked off, well, he could imagine where all of it went; the plump rear of hers that rested on his leg and the breasts he was just beginning to eye.

The shirt she donned, currently unbuttoned and opened wide, did a rather poor job of keeping her goods hidden so when that drop of condensation from her bowl dripped onto her collar bone, nothing stopped his eyes from watching it travel down between her breasts, down her center to end its destination near her exposed belly button. Odd how having a naked Seri settled upon his lap wasn't near as arousing as a drop of water.

Suddenly taking note of the odd silence the man had taken, Seri, curious to his sudden behavior, glanced over at him. His eyes were cast downwards towards her abdomen, and seeing how intently he was staring at it, she couldn't help but blush. But before she could question him, she watched as his head began ducking low until he was eye-level with her stomach.

Gentle lips met with her skin and it wasn't long after that Seri found herself being maneuvered to lean back against the cushions. His touches, once tender and loving, become rough and lustful as they roamed her sides. Small whimpers escaped her as Izumo began traveling upwards, his lips taking every care to kiss every inch of her along the way. When they were once again face-to-face, he didn't allow her to mutter a single word before covering her mouth with his own. Lips locked and with no intention of leaving the sectional any time soon, Izumo's expert hands began to roam her body with an energy neither of them realized he had. It was as if he was feeling her for the first time all over again.

His hands moved over her sides, down to her stomach, up to her sternum, before returning to her breasts. It wasn't until he had both globes in his hands that he took note of a cold, sticky, and wet substance staining her skin. Forcing himself away from her lips he glanced down to see that the bowl of ice cream, which had probably become nothing but liquid by now, had spilled sometime during his advances and was now dripping down Seri's curvaceous body. Of course Seri noticed it long before he had and she passed him an icy glare that made the room drop in temperature.

Izumo slowly backed away from her, allowing her room to sit up. "Ah…My apologies, Sweet Seri… I got a little ahead of myself, didn't I?"

She looked over the mess he had created and after assessing the damage, she, in surprise to him, clambered back onto his lap. Her voice was cold when she spoke to him, but her icy blues had softened, reflecting a teasing nature. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she neared his lips, a kiss just centimeters away. "How do you intend to clean this up, Mr. Bartender?"

Izumo thanked the love bug for nipping Seri and smirked, running a hand along her cheek. It wasn't often she tried to talk dirty or initiate any sort of foreplay, so if he wasn't aroused before, he definitely was now. "Well," he began, "it's too late to run a shower…" His smirk became dangerous as he let his eyes travel over her body, paying very close attention to the areas that glistened due to the dessert. "But if you don't mind, I have been waiting for my share of ice cream…"

ICE CREAM: END

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

 **I hope you enjoyed my first chapter! If you have any comments, criticisms, or suggestion for a next story, feel free to leave a review or message me!**


	2. CHRISTMAS

#2 CHRISTMAS

Shizume City, during this time of year, was a winter wonderland. Thick sheets of snow decorated the sidewalks and pavements, slowing traffic down almost to the point of complete stop, and lights were strung along the branches of the trees that lined the streets. Busy shoppers, bundled head to toe in the finest winter apparel they could get their hands on, flooded in and out of the stores as they sought out gifts for their loved ones.

Walking down the streets with his own coat and scarf, Izumo marveled at the transformation the city had taken. As a child, little Izumo always anticipated the season's arrival, what with the promise of gifts from unknown and estranged relatives, but as he neared adolescence, Christmas definitely began to lose its luster. With the brooding Mikoto, always lazy and unconcerned, and Kusanagi himself surpassing his fellow peers in maturity, it was suffice to say that there wasn't much "holiday spirit" circulating between the two of them. But then Tatara came along.

He reintroduced – or in Mikoto's case, introduced – the idea of gift giving and preached on about the meaning behind the season. Whether to satisfy or simply silence the newest member of their trio, the two young men, from then on, humored the idea and found themselves participating in lame gift exchanges every year. Izumo couldn't help but chuckle recalling how lousy of a gift giver their Red King had been. As Mikoto somehow managed to always pull Izumo's name from the bag, every year the bartender would receive from him a can of pop, dispensed just seconds ago from the vending machine sitting only a few feet away. He would be lucky if the can wasn't already opened and half the content missing.

Eventually HOMRA was formed and the spirit of the holiday showed no signs of fading anytime soon. If anything, it had grown stronger as Izumo now found himself setting up a tree for his guests and Anna to admire while the boys would decorate it with mismatched lights and ornaments much to the bartender's chagrin. As of right now, with Christmas only a few days away, a good stack of presents – the majority sloppily wrapped – lay underneath the tree's branches, and it took a lot of scolding from the bartender to prevent any from being opened before the certain day.

Unlike some of the others who were still scrambling to fill the few gaps down by the tree's trunk, Izumo had already long finished his Christmas shopping and had all the gifts stashed safely away in the bar's attic. From the rookies to the veterans, from the youngest to the oldest, Izumo had decided that just this year he would spoil them all; though he had to admit he might have gone just a little overboard with pampering Anna. Mikoto was the only other soul to know of the hidden gifts, as he was forced into helping his high school friend load them up to the upper floor.

"Hopefully the guys won't expect this kind of treatment every year," Izumo spoke calmly to his friend as they stared at the pile of gifts occupying the space that normally only held wine racks and crates of booze.

Mikoto yawned in response, apparently exhausted from the amount of work Izumo had handed him and proceeded to head down the ladder, the blonde only a few steps behind him. As Izumo was closing the hatch, the redhead spoke, but with the racket of the ladder folding up, Izumo was only able to catch the last few words. "…teddy bears."

Izumo raised a questioning eyebrow, wondering if he had heard correctly. It wasn't often one caught Mikoto speaking about anything outside of food and his complaints. "What was that, Mikoto?"

Casually, Mikoto proceeded to head towards the sofa they kept in the upstairs room. It reeked of booze and smoke and no amount of detergent or spray could remedy the scent, but that didn't prevent Mikoto from sleeping on it every night and day. Lying down on the cushions in a way that left the confused bartender with only a view of his back, he muttered again, "I saw your wife looking at teddy bears."

Mikoto was nothing if not nonchalant and for the most part didn't bother to stick his nose in the personal lives of others; if you were a runaway he'll house you, if you collected dirty magazines, then you better share. But that wasn't to say he wasn't observant as he had just now managed to take note of the lack of presents addressed to a "Seri Awashima" as he was hauling them up the ladder. He may also have been lax during high school – and even now in adulthood – but he wasn't all stupid.

He knew all about the relationship between his friend and the busty Blue. Of course, it wasn't as if Izumo was trying to hide it either as he was often found flirting with her during their confrontations and calling her while in the midst of work. The others saw it as nothing more than playful teasing usually accommodated with frivolous men, but Mikoto knew there was more than lighthearted banter going on between the two. He knew his friend well enough to know he wouldn't give up his philandering ways for a woman he labeled only as a friend.

Izumo chuckled, unfazed by the term "wife" as he had long adjusted to Mikoto's teasing concerning his relationship with the other blonde. Situating himself down on the armrest by Mikoto's feet, the bartender plucked a cigarette from his front pocket and lit it, blowing a waft of smoke into the unvarnished room as he pondered his friend's statement. "Teddy bears, huh…" He smiled around the cigarette sitting between his lips. "You think she would prefer that over the gift I already got her?"

There was a light shuffling noise as Izumo went digging through his pocket and when it seemed he had gotten ahold of what he wanted, he stated coolly, "Catch." At the order, Suoh opened his eyes just in time to catch the little velvet box coming towards him. Any second later, and the elegant box would have collided with his nose.

Taking no offense to the lack of care his friend had for his well-being, Mikoto studied the little case. Although it was only the box he was staring at, if anyone were to find this under the tree, there would be no doubt that this was from Kusanagi. Somehow the classy and sophisticated feel that was brought on by the red wine velvet had Izumo's name written all over it. Popping open the lid, for the first time ever being gentle in his touches, Mikoto was able to let his red eyes marvel at the little item that sat in its cushioned bed.

He glanced back at Izumo after studying the piece of jewelry and saw that he was still casually puffing away at his cigarette. When the box was safely returned to the blonde's pocket, Mikoto proceeded to get comfortable against the sofa as he prepared for his fourth nap of the day. However, before he would block out everyone for the next thirty minutes or more, a rare smirk crossed his lips. "You'll need new bedsheets after that."

"I wouldn't mind getting bedsheets this year," Izumo humored him as he rose to his feet, prepared to leave the King for his slumber. "Better than your half-empty soda cans, wouldn't you say?"

Just as he was seconds away from shutting the door that led down to the bar, he could hear the man drawl back sleepily, "You never complained…"

 _Shizume City, Present Time…_

Thinking back on the morning, Izumo couldn't help but chuckle at Mikoto's last remark he made before falling asleep. As if he was ever going to complain in front of Tatara and suffer through a lecture about how he should be grateful for the little things in life. But aside from his last lazy drawl, Izumo also took into consideration the other statement his friend had made which was actually the reason why he found himself out and about today.

He was well aware of Seri's collection of small articles and teddy bears – a hobby he found awfully similar to Tatara's – and had been pondering what kind of novelty she would want to join her hoard. Up until his latest conversation with Mikoto, he had been deciding between an embellished diary and a set of porcelain figurines that he was sure would catch her fancy. But as his redheaded friend had discovered, it seemed her heart would be won over with a tuxedoed bear. He should have known that it was what she would have wanted; after all, her collection of bears was her prized possession.

Ah, but Izumo had little experience when it came to picking out stuffed animals. What made one bear stick out from the other? As he passed by the window displays lining the streets, each with various assortments of items advertising their holiday sale, he took note of the variety of plushies the store owners had set out among their presentations. Some were plaid, some were in suits, others were pocket-sized, and a handful knew how to sing. They were plentiful during Christmas which should have made his latest task an easy one to accomplish, yet after peeking down at his cellphone, he realized he had been aimlessly wandering around town for the last two hours and Seri's teddy bear had yet to be picked out.

He stopped at a crosswalk and exhaled a puff of smoke into the air as he waited for the traffic to come to a stop. As the cars swooshed past, Izumo thought of the absurdity that came with searching for a teddy bear for a grown woman like Awashima. Though it was common for men to gift their significant other with flowers and bears, in Izumo's case, it actually mattered what the bear would look like! He could imagine the look of disappointment that would wash over the lieutenant's face if he presented to her a doll she already had, or one that wasn't as appealing to her as it was to him. To think that a wrong-looking bear could completely ruin the Christmas plans he had in store for the two of them…

The indicator across the street signaled for its pedestrians a safe walk across and just like the others who had gathered around were making their way to the other side, Izumo prepared to do so as well until an all-too-familiar voice was heard through the muffle of murmurs around him. "Fushimi…!" If he had any doubts whether or not that voice belonged to his Seri, that one name – and the annoyed tone that accompanied it – were a telltale sign that two of SCEPTER 4's finest were out and about. He stopped midstride and, thanks to his height advantage, was able to peek over the heads of the citizens walking around him and pinpoint the blonde and her accomplice conversing only a few feet from him.

They were both dressed in civilian clothes; Fushimi in his puffy black coat, plain jeans, and sneakers emblazoned with the Union Jack while Seri was in a classier getup consisting of an ivory trench coat decorated all about with pastel roses and blush heels. Izumo wondered how, with her long toned legs exposed to the elements, she wasn't being affected by the season's chill.

The two seemed to be bickering when he was approaching and Kusanagi could stake his bar on the reason as to why. It was clear Awashima had dragged the poor boy along while she went out on her holiday shopping spree – evidenced by the amount of bags she had gripped together in her hands – and by now Fushimi was probably about ready to either ditch or take his own knife to his throat. It wasn't uncommon to see them arguing seeing as how outside of their job performances, their personalities were on two entirely different spectrums. They looked nothing alike, nor had anything in common in their behavior, but sometimes it was hard for Izumo to see them as anything but siblings.

Seri was in the midst of delivering an earful to Fushimi, a sight rather amusing to the bartender, as he made his way into earshot. He chuckled, alerting the two to his appearance, and placed a gentle hand on the small of Seri's back, an action which, upon catching a glimpse of it, made Fushimi click his tongue in annoyance. "So it seems SCEPTER 4 gets to go out and enjoy the holidays as well," Izumo mused, catching Seri's eye and passing her a wink. With his free hand, he reached down to take the bags she had clutched in her palms. "Allow me."

Their fingers overlapped during their exchange and the warmth from Izumo's hand left traces of heat upon Seri's skin seconds after he pulled away. "I appreciate the gesture, but I could have handled it." Seri felt a little bit of rebuke was in order to save face in front of her subordinate. Although hardly anything ever made its way past Fushimi, she kept her fingers crossed in the hopes that perhaps he was still oblivious as to how far her relationship with HOMRA's number two had gone.

Seeing the two behaving all "buddy-buddy" nearly made the raven-haired man groan, but if nothing, at least it gave him an excuse to ditch Seri and head back to the dormitory. "I'm out of here," he muttered as he began trudging off in the direction of headquarters.

"Fushimi…!" Seri called after the boy, "Where do you think you're going?"

"I hate crowds. I hate shopping. It's cold and I'm bored." He grumbled back. Why anyone would waste their rare day off spending money in the frigid December air was beyond him. He would rather remain locked up in the library or his dorm room, dealing with Andy's antics or acting as a guinea pig for Ryuho's latest recipe.

When it became obvious that Fushimi wasn't going to rethink his actions, choosing instead to suffer a harsh scolding from his lieutenant later on that evening, Seri gave a defeated sigh. "I don't know what I'm going to do with that boy…" She had grown concerned of how he was spending his days; holed up alone in his room while his teammates rejoiced in the season despite the unending pile of duties. Dragging him along as she shopped was her attempt at getting him out and into the sunlight.

Izumo spotted the frown that marred her features and couldn't help but lay a comforting hand upon her cheek, running circles along her soft skin with his thumb. "You know, back in HOMRA I don't think Fushimi ever saw the light outside of the bar. To think I would one day come across him shopping alongside a beautiful woman such as yourself in broad daylight, I would say you and your boys have influenced him more than you think." Izumo tilted her chin upwards so that he could gaze longingly into her vibrant blues. "So no frowning, Seri-chan," he lectured before giving her lips a small peck.

"Idiot…" Seri whispered when he pulled away. Of course it was hard to be taken seriously when a small smile was creeping onto her lips.

Arm in arm, the two lovers continued their journey through the city, both of them marveling at the displays and enjoying the other's presence. It had become an impromptu date to say the least, something so unknown to them as their odd schedules prevented them from seeing each other save for a few hours of every week. Wherever they went, bystanders couldn't help but cast a glance their direction as they garnered attention with their uncanny beauty. They were comparable to a celebrity couple; classy, beautiful, intelligent, and made for no one else but.

"So what brought you out into the city," Seri asked after grabbing a cup of hot cocoa from a street vendor. Izumo had offered to buy it for her, but seeing as how he couldn't get to his wallet as quickly as she could to her own, he relented as she dropped the few coins and bills onto the counter. "I don't assume it was to become my pack mule."

"I was actually out looking for something for you, Seri-chan," he responded truthfully. Although, with the tone he used, Seri believed he was simply teasing her as he liked to do in order to see her reaction. "Had I known you had the day off, I would have come to you first thing."

"I'm actually running a few last minute errands…" She responded with a disgruntled look on her face. "I had originally entrusted Domyoji with purchasing the decorations for our party, but I should have known better when he returned with nothing but junk food…" She couldn't be too mad though, after all, among all the array of treats purchased was a box of handcrafted mochi filled with redbean.

Izumo raised a curious eyebrow as he peeked down at his significant other. "A party?"

"It was the captain's idea. Every year we have a Christmas party… A sort of… 'Bonding time' as the captain likes to put it." As much as she admired the man, she couldn't deny that his personality was a tad too eccentric for the boys to feel comfortable around during a casual get-together.

Izumo as well had his doubts on whether Munakata was capable of letting loose. The thought of the Blue King trying his hand at something other than work was rather amusing and it had the bartender chuckling lightly. "So the Blue King has a wild side, you say?" Seri couldn't help but smile up at the man beside her as he began shaking his head, hoping to erase the images that filled his mind. "I can only imagine…"

Like a long-engaged couple, Seri and Izumo made their way around town, joined at the elbow, picking up the last of the items on Seri's list. They shared in laughter and good memories as they took turns recounting events of seasons passed witnessed by their corresponding clans. It wouldn't be long though until they eventually found themselves standing before SCEPTER 4's gates, prepared to bid goodbye for the day.

Reluctantly slipping her arm from his, Awashima, resuming a role more suitable for her professional standing, met the bartender in the eyes. "I appreciate the company today, Kusanagi," she told him, making a reach for the bags in his hands. He handed them over without a fight even if it clashed with his code of ethics. She looked prepared to head in but it seemed she had other thoughts that kept her rooted to the driveway. Taking in a deep breath, she averted her eyes to the pavement beneath her heeled feet and murmured, "Our party ends around midnight on Christmas Eve." Her cheeks took on a shade of pink as she whispered, "I expect you to see me home then."

Rather than receive a simple "of course" or "yes" Seri instead felt long fingers comb through her platinum blonde locks to eventually land on her chin. He gently raised her gaze upwards until her pools of blue met with his hazel. She tensed, realizing what he intended to do and wanted to object – cautious of the set of eyes that may be gazing out the windows this very moment. But her lips refused to move and instead she watched as his lips spoke the words, "So it's _our_ home now…?" He smirked before landing a slow kiss to her pink lips. "I like the sound of that, Seri-chan."

Before she could rebuke him for his teasing nature in front of her workplace, the mighty front doors were pushed open and a single figure made his way out. As if the man before her was toxic, Seri stepped away from the bartender to salute the approaching figure with a hopefully calm demeanor that belied her beating heart and reddened cheeks. "C-Captain…! I've returned with the supplies you asked for."

With sharp eyes lurking behind clear lenses, Reisi looked over the two who stood before his team's headquarters. Eventually those set of eyes landed on Kusanagi who seemed just as nonchalant about being on the Blue's soil as Munakata was about spotting a Red accompanying his lieutenant. "Izumo Kusanagi of HOMRA," Munakata addressed the man with a calm smile, "It's not often I see you around here. I hope your King and clan are faring well this holiday season?"

"No problems on our end, Mr. Munakata," Izumo responded casually. He passed Seri a sideways glance before wrapping an arm around her, startling her out of her posture. "Just thought I'd walk Seri-chan here back to you."

Munakata crossed his arms as he nodded. "Indeed. As chivalrous as always, Mr. Kusanagi." A dry wind blew in that instant and having long taken note of Seri's choice of attire, he said, "You appear rather…underdressed for the weather, Lieutenant. We had the repairman come in today to inspect the heater in the women's dormitory. From my understanding, it is now in good repair. Perhaps you would like to go take a look? Unless, that is, you have any final words left to say to Mr. Kusanagi?"

Seri cast a nervous glance towards HOMRA's number two, a glance which failed to go unnoticed by him, and he very casually passed her a wink in return. She would have sighed had it not been for the presence of her King who seemed quite grateful for the bartender's chivalry to deliver her home. With a straight face, she saluted the captain and excused herself, a sense of anxiety following her in as she left the two men outside.

Now left alone with the unreadable Blue King, Izumo, unbothered by the silence that had settled in between them, stuck his hands in his pockets as he reached for his cigarettes. Reisi watched as he lit the stick and began smoking away, wisps of smoke trailing up his nostrils with each puff the other man took. "Looks like my purpose here is served," the bartender mumbled wistfully around his cigarette while gazing at the doors Seri had disappeared behind. "Guess I should go now before I overstay my welcome."

"Hm," Munakata hummed in response, gently shoving his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. "I bear no ill will towards you or your clansmen; therefore these gates will always be opened should HOMRA need entrance. However…" As if on cue, his glasses caught the glare of the sunlight, casting a dazzling gleam, "Tread carefully with my lieutenant, Mr. Kusanagi. For if not, you may find yourself facing the other end of my sword."

Their eyes met and between them spoke a silent challenge. Taking the cigarette from his lips to rest between his index and middle finger, Izumo chuckled. "And if I catch you overworking my Seri-chan," he responded in a tone equally as cool as it was threatening, "You will get burned."

Izumo caught sight of the dangerous smirk planted on Munakata's lips just before he was given the view of his back. The King of Order took only three steps forward the grand building before stopping and casting a glare over his left shoulder. As usual, his expression was unreadable as he solemnly spoke, "Treat her well, Izumo Kusanagi…"

 _Christmas Eve…_

SCEPTER 4 never seemed livelier… Much to Fushimi's despair. In the dining hall of SCEPTER 4's headquarters, the Blue clansmen, normally distinguishable from average civilians by the beautiful blue of their uniforms and glistening sabers, appeared tonight like a group of third-rate comedians. After stripping themselves of their dignity, they had donned on costumes representing characters seen only during the course of the season and pranced around the hall like fools. Of course, it's not as if he had any right to mock his team members either as he was dressed as the jolly fat man himself – courtesy of his lieutenant and captain.

Slumped in a chair, the young man tapped his fingers impatiently against the dinner table's surface as he eyed the room. Once white and immaculate, the hall had taken on a 180 degree transformation as his teammates allowed the spirit of the season to waltz on in and vomit all over their workplace. The normally dim room was brightened with a colorful array of lights while the warm scent of holiday candles permeated the air. The marble flooring also sparkled as an unholy amount of glitter, left behind by the floral décor, decorated the shiny surface. Fushimi doubted they could ever clean deep enough to rid themselves it.

He had wanted to remain in his own miserable corner while the others celebrated as was the usual with their get-togethers, but it seemed that wasn't to be the case this time as the chair adjacent to him was pulled out and occupied shortly afterwards. The sweet scent of perfume infiltrated his nostrils and Fushimi didn't need to bother himself with wondering who had decided to join the scrooge.

"Lieutenant," he blandly noted, barely passing the blonde a glance as she settled beside him. Just like the others, she was also suited in a costume befitting the season; hers being a sleeveless red dress with white faux fur trimming along the hems.

"I'm glad I found you, Fushimi," she said, setting a plate piled high with…stuff before her comrade. The ominous pile of food appeared to jiggle as Seri shoved it closer to the boy, making him nearly gag at the sight. "I wasn't sure if you had grabbed any, so I made sure to save you some."

He averted his eyes from the unhealthy amount of redbean and mumbled into his palm, "I'll pass…" Seri, too caught up admiring the excitement of her subordinates, failed to catch wind of his comment and persisted in shoving her plate of food in his direction. When her persistent nudging became almost intolerable, Fushimi chanced a glance towards the older woman and spotted a candid smile on her lips and a light flush on her cheeks. She didn't appear like the usual lieutenant he was accustomed to taking orders from.

"I noticed you haven't opened any of your gifts yet, Fushimi." She explained while reaching underneath the table. Not a second later a box, enclosed in teddy bear wrapping paper and decorated with a royal blue bow, was presented to him. "So I brought mine over for you."

The thought of having to devour the possible redbean treat that hid behind the cute wrapping made him resist the temptation to peel apart his gift. But Seri's bright blue eyes bore into him, waiting for him to make a move and for some odd reason the thought of disappointing her when she appeared so happy was something even Fushimi couldn't see himself doing. So, while grumbling incoherently, he carelessly tore apart the wrapping to find himself gripping a box containing the latest PDA.

He stared at it for the longest time, a mixture of indescribable feelings welling up inside of him. While he wanted to tell her it was unnecessary for her to purchase something like this for him, another part of him was also grateful. Seri knew the boy well enough to know that he was poor with words – especially when they were words of gratitude – so she simply gave him a smile. "I'm glad you like it."

Before he was able to thank her properly, she rose from the chair to join the other clansmen beside the Christmas tree. She laughed and smiled like a schoolgirl as she temporarily stripped herself of her title and rank. "The lieutenant seems rather happy tonight, wouldn't you say, Fushimi?"

Replacing the lieutenant beside him was the ever poignant and distinguished Blue King… dressed as a reindeer… Fushimi could tolerate the lights, the smells, the glitter, and even the damned Santa suit, but to see his leader, his boss, his _King_ prancing around as Rudolph; it was a major strike to his pride and he had to avert his eyes.

Wishing he could be on the other side of the planet, and have no correlation to the man beside him at all, Fushimi tried to create distance between himself and Munakata, only to find a pair of antlers obscuring his view as the older man peeked over to view the item he had in his hands. "Oh, a PDA," Munakata awed. "Quite the generous gift. Is it from the lieutenant?"

Fushimi clicked his tongue at the captain's nosiness, making the man chuckle. "She seems to have gone above and beyond this year. Her gift for me this year was an all-white puzzle; a special edition I believe it was. It will be sure to occupy me during our downtime."

Fushimi gawked. "Wha…!?"

The night eventually began to wind down and although there was still quite a mess leftover, Munakata had summoned his clansmen to head to bed, stating that there would be plenty of time to clean up when the sun rose tomorrow. The boys had no complaints as they ushered themselves into the baths and bedrooms; the night still young for them as laughter and noises continued to emanate through their walls.

On the other end of the living quarters where the women resided, a much different setting was taking place as Seri and Yayoi, after accompanying one another to their separate rooms, bid the other goodnight. While Yoshino prepared for a warm bath before hitting her bed, Seri disappeared into her room where she remained only momentarily. She had no intentions to stay the night here at headquarters, so after dropping off the generous gifts she had received from her subordinates, she slipped a few items into her purse and wrapped herself in her fine winter coat.

Like a thief in the night, she double checked the hall, making sure she was the only soul to be seen, before making her way towards the exit on gentle steps – a feat not easily managed as she was still donned in her red heels. She reminded herself there was no reason to hide, seeing as how she was not only a full grown adult but also the second-in-command, but the thought of her boys discovering that her love interest was HOMRA's number two; their expressions alone was enough to make her go the extra mile in keeping her relationship a secret.

Yayoi, who had stepped out of her own room to head to the washroom, caught sight of the tall blonde making her way down the hall. She opened her mouth, ready to call out to her, but stopped, realizing that with the lieutenant's quiet exit, she wanted to leave unnoticed. As much as she admired her lieutenant in beauty, brains, and brawn, the young clerk was also piqued with curiosity. She watched the beautiful blonde disappear down the deserted hall and when she was out of view, she let that curiosity get the best of her as she quickly scampered back into her room to peek outside her window.

Although it was well past midnight, officially making it Christmas, visibility was still possible due to the street lights and bright moon. Doe-brown eyes widened when young Yayoi followed the path leading from SCEPTER 4's front to the road because there, standing just outside of their gates, was a man. She couldn't gauge his looks from her distance, but he was tall, blonde, and judging by the flicker of light that sat by his mouth, he was smoking. She couldn't quite put her finger on it but she felt as if she had seen the man before… Seri eventually came into view, and after what appeared like a brief exchange of words, the two walked off side by side.

"A-a secret lover…?" Yayoi gasped inwardly realizing that she had perhaps just stumbled upon her idol's darkest secret and quickly shut the curtains. Heart beating at the sudden rise of guilt she felt at spying on her, Yayoi settled on her bed and pledged that she would never let whatever she saw tonight be known to anyone else. Little did she know though, in two other separate rooms of Annex 4's headquarters, two other pair of eyes had also been watching…

 _Izumo's Room…_

Izumo had wanted to take the night slow; a romantic dinner with fine wine, a bubble bath to cleanse the soul, and a little naughty foreplay before they exchanged gifts was the night he had planned out. But when Seri came out of the bathroom wrapped only in red ribbon and offering him a gift of imported wine sought out by a many wine aficionados, he flushed his own plans down the drain as he found himself unceremoniously tossing the beauty onto his bed and taking her while she was on all fours.

Seri was skilled in many areas ranging from writing, reading, negotiating, and of course fighting, so it was not often one found her in a situation she would ever deem herself uncomfortable in. But that was because, much to Izumo's joy, no one else had ever had the pleasure of bedding the blonde beauty. It was during sex that one got to see Seri's insecurity as the acts of it had been new to her until Izumo came along and took her virginity. She was often uncomfortable when Izumo did anything outside of the missionary position she had grown accustomed to so when he had her on all fours, she hid her face in their pillows as he pounded into her; no longer able to contain his lust and love for her. She would be sore, he knew, as was the case whenever he was a tad bit more relentless than normal. But he would be sure to kiss every bruise and love mark he left on her beautiful body.

It wasn't until he had come twice that he decided to give her a break and separate from her. She fell onto the bed appearing like a beautiful mess, still entangled in the ribbon she had decided to impress him with, and looked only a few seconds away from falling asleep. Izumo, still healthy and ready for another round, peppered a few kisses along her cheek and jaw, while whispering into her ear, "Are you alright, Seri-chan…? Do you need me to kiss you anywhere?"

She remained silent, insisting on briefly resting her eyes while he marveled her glistening body. She was reeled into his bare chest and basked in the gentle caresses his hands delivered to her sore and aching body. It was hard for her to believe that those same hands were the same ones that had just minutes ago been roughly squeezing and groping her waist and thighs, undoubtedly leaving behind light bruises in their wake. But although a part of her hurt, she was glad that her gifts had generated that sort of reaction from the usually composed bartender.

Placing a hand over his, she whispered with a smile on her face, "I'm glad you liked it…"

Izumo hummed in response, taking in the sweet smell of her hair and softness of her stomach's skin. "Even if all I got was to see you parading around in _this,_ " he fingered the silky ribbon wrapped around her body, "I would have been just as happy…"

She turned over so that she could face him and it was then that they initiated their post sex cuddling and kissing. They were wrapped in each other's arms while their legs were tangled, partially hidden beneath the covers, as they gazed into one another's eyes. "Seri-chan," Izumo began, running circles over her exposed rear and back, "I was willing to wait until morning to give you your gift, but it seems I'm getting rather impatient to see your reaction."

He disentangled himself from her and landed one final kiss to her lips before rising from the bed and disappearing into the bathroom. A few seconds later, he emerged with a dampened washcloth in his palm. Like a child, Seri pushed herself up and tried to peer into the small towel, wondering what he was hiding within it which made Izumo smile. "Hold on," he told her as he took the washcloth to her stomach, thighs, and sensitive regions.

Seri turned a bright red as she realized he was cleaning her and fought with him over the washcloth. "N-no…I-I can do this myself…" But Izumo would have none of that as he stopped her protesting with a simple kiss to her lips, distracting her long enough so that he could finish. When he pulled away, a string of saliva keeping them connected, he tossed the towel into a corner of his bedroom and settled down in a sitting position on the bed. He had Seri comfortably seated in between his legs but her cheeks still burned from embarrassment.

"Close your eyes," he ordered.

Although reluctant to do something so cloy, her excitement to see her gift overcame her pride and she obeyed, opting instead to rest her face against his chest. She felt him shift as he reached underneath the bed and she knew her gift was retrieved when she felt a new, unfamiliar softness brush against her back. Glancing over her shoulder, she came face-to-face with a pair of beady button eyes hidden behind purple-tinted sunglasses.

Her eyes widened at the sight of the oversized teddy bear – it being the same size as her torso – and like a child, she turned her back to Izumo to marvel at the gift he had tirelessly tracked down for her. The bear had golden fur, similar to Izumo's own hair color, and he was decked out in duds very reminiscent of the bartender. He was shoved in a white button-up while a red ascot was tied about his neck and he even sported jeans that were kept up by a belt decorated with a cross buckle.

Blushing with happiness, she pulled the bear into an embrace, its face being smooshed between her bare breasts. She had been so awed by the sight of the Kusanagi bear that she failed to notice the long jewelry box that was tucked in his pants until she pulled away to admire him one more time. "What's this…?"

Izumo watched over her shoulder as Awashima, with gentle hands, lifted the lid off the box. Sitting inside the box was a diamond necklace, fashioned and formed to appear like a vine of silver leaves. As a simple owner of a bar, Seri doubted he would be able to afford this piece with legal funds, but just this once she would let him get away with it. "You shouldn't have…" She whispered, gazing dreamily into the leaves.

"But I did," Izumo said, interrupting her thoughts, "Because I needed something to match this…"

Reaching around her, Kusanagi presented her with one more box; the same velvet box he had tossed to Mikoto a few days prior. Seri looked the box over, and almost resisted taking it, feeling that she had already been far spoiled by her lover as it was. But then he popped it open and it was then that the diamond ring was exposed to her.

Just like the necklace, the silver band of the ring was warped to appear as vines that eventually shifted into flower petals. Sitting in the center of those petals was a pale blue diamond that matched her sapphire eyes. "Wh-what is this…?" Peeling her eyes away from the dazzling ring displayed before her, Seri turned back to glance at Izumo who stared back at her innocently. "Kusanagi…"

"There's only one real reason why a man gives a woman a ring, isn't there," Izumo shrugged. "So what do you say?"

Biting her lip, Seri gazed up at him and whispered shakily, "How unfair that you ask me this now, when we're both lying naked, fresh from sex and right after having received such generous gifts from you…" Before he could respond, strong toned arms wrapped around his neck as her lips smashed into his. The force of their collision made Izumo fall backwards and left Seri hovering over him. He couldn't see much with Seri's long tresses creating a curtain around them, but what he could see was her glistening lips formed into a beautiful smile. "As if I could say no to you now…"

As Mikoto had predicted, their restless night left Izumo with a lot of laundry to do the following morning. But it was all worth it when they woke up Christmas Day as a newly engaged couple…

CHRISTMAS: END

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: MERRY CHRISTMAS READERS! Holy Moly! It's finally finished! I apologize for the rushed ending but I've just been at this for so long, I just wanted to get the chapter up and over with so I can move on to other ideas. Thank you for the kind reviews as well; they're the fuel that encourages me to keep thinking up new ideas for these two!**

 **I just finished watching the last episode of K: Return of Kings and I got a little disheartened knowing that this may be the end of the Project K series… I just hope the fandom remains strong and that there will be some further evidence somewhere that says Seri and Izumo end up together and make cute babies. Until that evidence comes along, I guess I'll just have to keep making up stories for them, huh?**

 **See you in 2016!**


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